Kellyn Roth's Blog: Kellyn Roth, Author, page 15

What’s Up With My Writing? (December 2020 Edition)

Hello folks! It’s time to be updating you on my stories! I meant to do this a bit earlier in the month, but I decided not to. ‘Cause I got sick. (So it wasn’t a decision, but shh. Leave me my illusions.)

But now I’m here to update y’all on my projects! Let’s get right into it.

Becoming Miss Knight

Currently discussed on my WIP page (so check out the longer description there!), this novella is the in-between book between book 2 and 3 of The Chronicles of Alice and Ivy.

It’s currently with beta readers, and I’m getting some great feedback! Which means … the story will probably come out in January!

Wow. Pretty soon, right?

I’m really excited for that! The idea of this novella is to introduce new readers to the series as well as remind old readers of what they’re missing.

At Her Fingertips

Book 3 in The Chronicles of Alice and Ivy is comin’ along! I got about 32k in November (the rest of my NaNo count was from Becoming Miss Knight and The Duke’s Twin, both of which are finished) – and I’m picking away at in now in December!

I hope to finish it up this December! (Even though this sickness has got me delayed!) And after that, I’ll be moving on to beta-readers … and then prepping for publication.

I’m super excited for this new draft, as it’s changed and improved in ways I wasn’t even expecting!

Semi-Related Updates

Y’all, I’m launching two mini book boxes for Christmas!

These are exclusive, one-time-only goodie boxes – one for The Dressmaker’s Secret and one for the entire Kees & Colliers series (all three books included in that one!).

Both contain various themed items, some specially designed stickers, unique Christmas ornaments, and just a bunch of awesome stuff that any fan of the books/series would love!

They’re a great Christmas gift idea for any book lover – and they can be enjoyed by anyone aged 14-92, so there’s a lot of options for who to give the box to: daughter, mother, grandmother, best friend, cousin … the list goes on!

If you’d like to find out more about them, check out book one or box two. I had so much fun putting them together, and I just know they’re going to bring a smile to your face!

I even included a unique note from Adele or Troy in the Kees & Colliers book box. Which was loads of fun to write! (It’s been too long since I’ve written from their POVs!)

Interested?

Check Out My Shop

TTFN!

~Kell~

P.S.

ARE YOU AS COOLED OUT BY THE BOOK BOXES AS I AM!? (It’s like ‘freaked out’ or ‘grossed out’ but for cool stuff.) I certainly am excited! Also

We Need Our 2020 Wrapups

Months back, I can’t remember exactly where, I saw a meme to the effect of “bloggers need to NOT do their 2020 wrapups this year – we don’t want to see it.” I thought it was funny, but as I think back to it, I disagree.

And though I’m sure, as always, there’ll be a mix of people who do wrapups and people who don’t … I want to encourage you to wrapup your life.

I want to encourage you to make a “paper trail” in blog format – or on your social media, or in an email, or wherever it is that you post wrapups. I want to encourage you that your life is still worth sharing about it.

Even in spite of 2020. In fact, maybe BECAUSE of 2020.

Why should you share about your year?

Well, there’s not any one, definitive reason, but here’s why I still plan on posting a 2020 Recap at the end of this month.

Because you’ll want to look back on this time in ten years – or even one year!

Am I the only one who looks back on my yearly wrapups again and again? I’ve always enjoyed doing them, and I’m very glad that I have them to read over!

Why would this be any different in 2020? We all know that trying to forget our past is not a healthy way to deal with it.

Besides, the hardest years are often the wrapups I enjoy the most! It may be difficult to look back over the year, especially if it was disappointing to you, but I believe that not memorializing 2020 will be a mistake you’ll regret.

Because there are unique facets of your story.

I know, I know. You’re probably like, “Why should I post a wrapup of 2020? My story is literally the same as everyone else’s. I stayed inside for a year.”

Well … no. That’s not true. Trust me, your experiences with 2020 have been unique.

I mean, I managed to get an eye infection and break up with my long-time crush/short-time boyfriend and bid the best piece of my childhood family property goodbye and … Basically, 2020 has been a year.

But I also wrote a lot, organized my life, had some great work experiences, learned the true strength of my character (I ain’t gonna give up my beliefs even if everyone else disagrees, suffice to say!), and had a lot of growing experiences.

I’m sure you have stories, accomplishments, and so on to share! You won’t know until you sit down and try to write them out.

Because sadness needs to be discussed.

Okay, let’s assume for a moment that you only have negative stories and experiences from 2020. Let’s assume nothing happy happened all year.

Well, that still deserves to be talked about! Because in sadness, you grow. In sadness, you get to choose your reaction – it can be positive or negative – and that choice is what makes you a stronger person.

Because we need to acknowledge our losses.

I’m sick of being told that the only losses this year were either “someone died of an illness” or “someone was mildly inconvenienced.”

This is not true. The losses were much more manifold this year, and though many of them were directly or indirectly related to the shutdowns, most of them did not have to do with the loss of life due to Covid-19.

This is more than “either someone dies or someone is mildly inconvenienced.” We’re talking mental health. We’re talking growing suicide rates. We’re talking broken families. We’re talking destroyed economies. We’re talking lives ruined.

And we need to stop looking the other way! We need to be honest about what we have lost. Because if we do not admit that there are problems with our current system, change will not happen.

Because we need to look back on 2020 so we can prepare to have a better 2021.

This may look different for everyone. For me, it means steeling myself to rebel.

It means preparing to go to jail if I must – because I would rather continue to fight for a country where I can have the rights of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” none of which I’m being granted.

Because I want to be able to worship as I please. Because I want to be allowed to meet with like-minded people where and when I please.

Basically, everything we rebelled against England for has been unceremoniously ripped away from us, and we’ve not made a peep. And I’m not going to back down.

However, for someone else, this might just mean preparing to go through another year, whatever it brings. And that’s important!

Because it’s what you’ve always done.

Normalcy is a tricky thing. In general, I say it’s different for everyone, and it’s not the government’s job to enforce it. In fact, “normal” shouldn’t be enforced. It should be a matter of personal definition.

When it comes to our blogging … I personally believe that changing what you normally do just because the year threw different things at you doesn’t make sense.

However, it’s up to you. Is it more comforting for you to adjust your blogging schedule to reflect a year that was just too different? Or is that same old wrapup going to help you feel more grounded, more normal?

The choice is, of course, up to you!

As a sidenote, I’m switching the day that my bi-weekly blog post is coming out on! Obviously. And, of course, trying to make my “bi-weekly” post more bi-weekly. (Though honestly this month we might end up with more than two posts, depending.)

I think Wednesday is a good day for a post, but we shall see if this shifts over time!

Also, I got an announcement:

I’m part of a giveaway!

“We want you to have a chance to win 45+ of books or a $500 Amazon card to buy a ton of books yourself in the Celebrate Lit 2nd Annual Merry Christmas Giveaway!”

Click here to enter: https://promosimple.com/ps/102df/2nd-annual-merry-christmas-readers

TTFN!

~Kell~

P.S.

So what do you think, folks? Are you doing a year wrapup wherever you previously did a year wrapup? Or is that just not your thing?

Henry Talbot Should Be Shot {A Breakdown of Downton Abbey’s Greatest Villain}

Henry Talbot should be shot.

In this essay, I will break down the reasons Henry Talbot of Downton Abbey should be shot, explain where and how many times I would like to shoot him, and further expound on my personal reasons for said gruesome murder.

Please read on if this is something you wish would happen, too. (No, this is not serious.) (And not meant to be taken seriously.)

As stated in my intro, I am one of many (I’m sure, though I’ve never heard it expressed like so) that believes that Henry Talbot, a character from the later series of the BBC drama Downton Abbey, deserves to be shot.

Specifically, I would like to drag him out into the street and repeatedly plaster his ugly, stringy, way-too-English body with bullet holes until he bleeds out.

Now, before we go any further, I would like to clarify that the actor is not related to Henry Talbot.

There is an actor — whose name I cannot remember and will not look up — who plays Henry Talbot.

Deepest respect. You had an unenviable part, English Actor Dude. Because no one is or ever will be Dan Stevens — and more than that, no one else will ever be Lady Mary’s husband. Not really.

Deepest respect to the actor, I say. It is simply the fictional character who I would like to kill. So, dear English Actor Dude, do not be offended. You done did good. Your character just shouldn’t exist.

Furthermore, they basically boxed you out of the movie, and I must say, even you should be grateful for that. Because we just didn’t want to see you on screen. No one did.

It’s not about you. It’s about the character.

Moving on.

Henry Talbot should be shot.

I’ve said that before, haven’t I? But have I expounded? No. I shall do so now.

Simply put, they introduced Henry Talbot to be a love interesting for Mary Crawley because … she needed a love interest. For unknown reasons. (Ick.)

Personally, I was fine with there being a host of “Mary’s men” and her never deciding to be with anyone. Perhaps she could’ve, I don’t know, actually deepened her relationship with her family — her child, for instance — instead.

Or perhaps she could’ve chosen one of her more interesting suitors. I liked Evelyn Napier and Tony Gillingham, and also that one dude with the pigs. Any of those options would’ve interested me!

Particularly the pig dude. Let’s all have a moment of silence for the pig dude. He was super cool and would’ve added so much to the show.

*a moment of silence*

I won’t even begin to get into my actual ship, though. I started to go into a rant about this here, but I confined it to a point below. And since most people don’t seem to like that ship, I’ll, um, keep it there.

Suffice to say my ship, listed below, is the only acceptable ship.

But instead, Downton Abbey brought forth Henry Talbot.

He was boring. He pretended he had real depth but simply … didn’t. He didn’t seem real — it was like he was copied and pasted from another show and suddenly was trying to fit in in a place he didn’t belong.

He was awkward. And uncultured. And he didn’t fit with Mary. He just didn’t.

Let’s talk about some of the ways I hate Henry Talbot most.

1: He and Mary have no chemistry. None.

Like, every time I look at them, I wonder why the creators of the show believed I would believe they really want each other???

With Matthew and Mary, you could feel it. Down deep in your bones, you could feel that they wanted each other — physically, yes, but emotionally and intellectually, too.

They fit. They fit so well! Almost from their first moment on-screen, there was this delightful play and chemistry.

Even when they hated each other (which, let’s face it, was often!), you could still feel it, y’all. I could feel it, and I’m the least emotionally sensitive person in the world.

Talbot? No. You can’t feel it because there is nothing there. Mary and Talbot don’t work together.

Remember how cringey their reuniting-thingy scene was? It was so cringey. The truth was, Mary wasn’t “trembling at the touch of his hand.” She awkwardly was like, “Yeah, sure, I’m into you.”

But it didn’t ring true. Honestly, no matter what they said, no matter what the actors tried to portray (and talented they are), there is no way they have a passionate marriage. I refuse to accept it. I do.

Ah, pig guy, where are you when I want you!?!

2: He and Downton Abbey have no chemistry.

I’m a pragmatist at heart. I love a good romance, yes, but I also like a nice neat little bow.

I wanted Mary and Matthew to be together for the sake of Downton Abbey as much as for themselves (though I’d have been fine if they burnt Downton to the ground to be together but semantics).

But Henry Talbot and Downton Abbey? Downton Abbey and Henry Talbot? Hownton Tabbey, if you will? I don’t ship it. I so don’t ship it.

Like, can you see them together? Plainly not because he’s rarely at Downton Abbey, and they basically remove him from the movie altogether as if to say, “Henry Talbot is not worthy of the Motion Picture Event that is Downton Abbey.”

I just can’t ship Hownton Tabbey, y’all. I can’t, and I won’t.

3: does anyone in the whole family think this is a good idea!?

I mean, they do eventually, but if they were to use their Thinky Hats (e.g. their brains which they seem to occasionally lose), they would not approve.

Robert must see that, if Mary marries, she should marry someone focused on protecting the estate — not on his own needs. Yes, she has Tom for that (more on that later), but Henry Talbot is no true partner for Mary.

Who could see that more than Carson? Carson must know this is horrible. That he won’t work for “his Lady Mary.” That their marriage is doomed for failure from the start.

Violet naturally doesn’t approve! Sure, she fakes it to make Mary “happy.” But she must be going senile in those moments, because anyone with even a bit of intelligence would see that Talbot could never make Mary happy.

I’m not going to go down the whole cast, as it is rather lengthy, but suffice to say, I don’t think anyone in the family should support this union.

Cora might not care but then she is American. You can’t trust Americans.

4: Everyone keeps telling me he’s perfect for Mary. Therefore, he is not.

During that whole last painful season (when, in my opinion, only Edith was really rewarded properly), everyone and their uncle is like, “WOW YOU AND HENRY SHOULD BE TOGETHER YOU’RE SO GOOD TOGETHER.”

Like even Tom, who I would have previously considered utterly uncorrupted and amazing in every way, buys into it. (See below my possible thought process on this.)

Anyways, everyone is all like, “Gah, Mary, stop ruining your own happiness!” and “Gah, Mary, just marry Talbot already. It’s even in your name. ‘Mary’ him.”

Here’s my conclusion about this: it’s all a conspiracy.

As a Christian in the modern world, I consider it my duty — nay, my calling! — to be suspicious of anything anyone tells me.

The fact that every character in the show is telling me that Mary and Henry should be together CONCLUSIVELY proves without a SHRED of doubt that they are NOT meant to be together.

I don’t know how I can be any more reasonable or clear than that. I just don’t.

5: There is only one acceptable ship here, plainly.

That ship is Mary and Tom.

Okay, okay, before you get all up in arms, hear me out. They would be really good together. And I cannot hear any other ship pre-movie.

After the movie, um … I really, um … I really love Tom/Lucy. But Lucy would’ve found herself another hunky Irishman if Tom were already married to Mary at that point.

So since the whole situation wouldn’t have come up, let’s just go ahead and ignore Lucy when it comes to this ship.

Tom and Mary are perfect for each other. They share similar life experiences. They bonded over losing Sybil and then over being single parents and then over running the estate together.

They work together constantly, and in perfect sync, and just … they’re soooo good together.

But the reality of this is iffy, right?

Wrong.

Speaking of the whole “Talbot is so good with you” conspiracy, Tom played into this, right? So he doesn’t want her if he’s suggesting she marry other men, right?

NOPE.

So there are a couple reasons Tom might hold back.

First of all, Mary is really cruel. So Tom probably didn’t want to deal with that drama of working through all her bitterness to find her soft side. He might’ve wanted to — might’ve seen that softness at times — but the show itself didn’t allow him to.

Also, with Mary being fairly traditional, she probably remembered that until 1907, it was illegal to marry your dead wife’s sister. So that might have caused issues with the family.

Still, who are Mary and Tom to be held back by antique traditions? Both of them, in their individual ways, have rebelled against the status quo again and again.

What better way to make that final rebellion than to cause dear Violet to faint (and then after she recovers she’ll probably be super into it because, like me, Dame Maggie Smith would be sure to recognize a great ship when she saw one)?

And I’ll say this: Tom has the chemistry with Mary (just look at their little fights here and there), he’s good for her, he’s good for Downton Abbey, and they have just … so much in common?

Talbot isn’t good for Mary like Tom is. Tom is just such a good influence on her! They level each other out.

And yeah, maybe Mary doesn’t give Tom an outlet to express his political views. But who’s to say Lucy does?! Lucy literally works directly under a woman whose only job is to TAKE CARE OF THE QUEEN, soooo yeah? Royalist much?

And anyways, politics isn’t everything. Even Tom admitted it when he broke up with Miss Conceited McSnottypants.

So just think about it. It works better than you’d imagine, doesn’t it?

Here’s further proof: the writer played with it but decided it wouldn’t work. For STUPID SHALLOW REASONS that I do not agree with. (See here.)

Like that would be the perfect character growth for Mary, my dear sir?! HOW DARE YOU!!?!?!?

But before I get carried away, let’s talk about my final reason for wanting to shoot Henry Talbot.

6: I JUST DON’T LIKE HIS STUPID FACE.

Like, look at that stupid face:

How dare he be with my Lady Mary?!

Look at the presumptuousness! I didn’t give you permission to be touching her, you jerk!

He has a stupid face. I don’t like it.

And that’s it.

That is why I would like to riddle the bleeding carcass of Henry Talbot with shotgun shells.

So. Can we agree that Henry Talbot should be shot?

Further Reading

I advise reading this excellent article written while the last several episodes of this lovely show were still airing. It basically recaps all my frustrated feelings over the way they dealt with the last bit of Mary’s arc.

I also ~somewhat~ approve of this one which is not one, not two, but TEN people Mary could’ve married instead of Henry. Yeah. (NOTE: this does, somewhat tongue-in-cheekily, suggest Anna (& another woman), but … I forgive it because its heart was in the right place. To quote the article, “Those moments in front of the mirror were more intimate and meaningful than any scene Mary shared with Henry.” I quite agree.)

TTFN!

~Kell~

P.S.

If nothing else, you can’t say that my blog is ever boring, exactly.

Have you ever watched Downton Abbey? Or will you ever watch Downton Abbey? If you have (or, I guess, if you haven’t), do you hate Henry as much as I do? WHY DOES HE EXIST THAT PASSIONLESS WELP OF A MAN GAH!

Introducing My NaNoWriMo Project(s)

Hey folks! So today I’m just gonna briefly tell you what my NaNoWriMo and KDWC projects are and also probably ramble a bit too much (Without spoilers! Don’t worry!) about these projects because … I AM EXCITED!

Basically, the long and short of it is that I’m doing KDWC for the first half of it (October 15th-November 1st) and then NaNoWriMo for the entire duration (November 1st-November 30th).

So best of both worlds! And because that’s more than 30 days, plainly I had to have more than one project. Allow me to explain.

I was going to use KDWC to do my second project and NaNoWriMo to do my first … but I GOT EXCITED and now I’m doing … the reverse. Except that KDWC (or what I’m doing of it) isn’t enough to finish my first project.

Which means I’ll be doing half of it during KDWC and half during NaNoWriMo. But, because that’s kinda confusing, I’m phrasing it as, “I’m doing one long NaNoWriMo.” Ish.

Anyways, all this background info aside, let’s talk about two projects … my secret project (now about to not be a secret!) and my novella which I haven’t talked about but which was technically not a secret.

My first project is the secret one …

The Duke’s Twin

a novel-to-be by Kellyn Roth

Lady Effie Adley would love nothing more than to settle in the countryside and write books. Sadly, her father’s disagreeable cousin has inherited the family estate, and she must find a safe situation for herself and her younger sister. Her last chance lies in an old friend’s brother, the Duke of Ridgewell. To save Florie, she’s willing to do anything … even marry a reportedly disagreeable duke who she has never met.

Lord William Harriot isn’t the duke; he’s just the awkward, bookish younger brother. His twin brother Philip has been leading the Ridgewell family toward bankruptcy for years, and now it seems ruin is unavoidable. Philip believes that he might be able to leverage their mother’s Scottish estate for a loan – but he needs William to be him for a few weeks to keep up appearances. Reluctantly, William agrees, not knowing how complicated this simple ruse will soon become.

When Effie arrives in London and meets who she assumes if the Duke of Ridgewell, she is soon charmed by his surprisingly sweet temperament, his hard-working nature, and his best kept secret: a love of romance novels – and her novel, published under a pseudonym, is his absolute favorite.

Of course, between Philip’s scheming and a series of misunderstandings and half-truths, William and Effie have a lot to sort through. Which is why I’m writing a whole book about them.

TL;DR — I am not able to fit all the elements into this summary, and I’m not sure when/if I’ll be able to, but IT IS A COMPLEX BABE with a lot of moving pieces and fun nods.

The outline was such a beast! Special thanks to all my YWW Author peeps for helping me sort it out. Took me long enough!

My second project is the novella …

Becoming Miss Knight

Alice Knight’s debut is in less than a year, and everything has to be perfect. Of course, she’d rather be riding her horse or playing with her younger siblings than learning to curtsy. But, with her mother in France for a holiday, the care of the house falls to her—and what better time to learn what it really means to be a lady?

Ivy, her twin sister, has other things on her mind. Namely, the endless conundrum of why she promised to keep an eye on her younger siblings while her parents are gone. She’s the least-qualified person to take care of them, but, bound by her word, she’s determined to try.

Even with all the guidance and advice available, becoming Miss Knight isn’t proving to be easy for either of them. However, any amount of work is worth keeping a promise to their mother.

And those are my two projects!

TTFN!

~Kell~

P.S.

What are you working on for NaNoWriMo/whatever equivalent you’re doing?

Reflections on a Lack of Accomplishment

(Bear through my depressed mumblings and you’ll be treated with some delightful reveries on Jane Austen. I promise.)

There’s so much I could choose to be depressed about this year.

No, not the tyrannical impositions our government has placed on its people. Not the riots. Not the lies of various political parties and not the insistence of many reasonable people in believing the lies.

I’m one of those people who explores these things to the best of my ability and then arrives at the conclusion that worrying about it too much is a waste of my life.

If I were to pick something to be depressed about, I would pick things a lot closer to home. Friends moving away—other friends lost. Life moving on … and I’m not quite sure I’m moving on with it.

I hate the transience of life, but I also hate moments when things are not moving at the rate I’d prefer. Generally the things that are shifting and changing are the things I want to stay firm … and the things that refuse to budge are the things I want to change.

I’m not a bestselling author yet, and I’m not able to make much headway in that direction. However, other elements of my life insist on changing—friendships, jobs, chores, the very way I live my day-to-day life.

The places I go. The things I do.

Will anything ever, ever settle down?

My laptop has been out for weeks now … and it looks like to make it run optimally I’ll have to send it out again. I don’t like the sound of that.

I also feel like there’s always something to do … thousands of things to do … and thousands of requests for more of my time.

Time is just about all I have right now—though of course I realize I can’t technically say, “I’ll have time tomorrow” because I could just up and die, but theoretically, I have time. But I’m not a very good steward of my time. At least, I never quite use it as thoroughly as I’d like to!

Mostly I have worse luck following a schedule than our puppies. Our puppies actually do a really great job following a schedule!

That said, I do get stuff done. As I’m writing this, it’s about half a week out from when I plan to post it (I, um, missed last week—sorry, y’all!), and I have a lot of stuff to do to prep for NaNoWriMo (and KDWC).

But I have done some things. I made some plans for maintaining a healthy lifestyle—I tried to figure out where to fit my various tasks in. I’m trying to make a loosely structured schedule for me to struggle, but of course I’m so distractible these days that it’s not really happening.

Basically, I’m fine, it’s fine, I’m all fine.

[image error]

A lot of things I planned for the past week didn’t happen. The blog posts, the emails, the planning, the extra work so I wouldn’t have to do it later.

However, I also did get this blog post scheduled (presumably, if you’re reading this!) — and a couple emails written — and a bunch of Instagram planning done!

Given that I didn’t have my laptop throughout most of that time, that’s pretty decent! Besides, life has just been making me unfocused and stressed lately, so getting things done can be a big deal.

I love the sense of accomplishment after achieving a big task.

Which, because I’m a huge Jane Austen fan, got me thinking about what it means to be an “accomplished woman,” a concept Ms. Austen frequently pokes fun at, most famously in Pride & Prejudice.

An Accomplished Woman

“Oh! certainly,” cried his faithful assistant [Caroline Bingley, Continually Crushing on Mr. Darcy and Getting a Lot of Bad Rap for It #hypocritereaders], “no one can be really esteemed accomplished who does not greatly surpass what is usually met with. A woman must have a thorough knowledge of music, singing, drawing, dancing, all the modern languages, to deserve the word; and besides all this, she must possess a certain something in her air and manner of walking, the tone of her voice, her address and expressions, or the word will be but half deserved.”

My, my, Caroline! As Elizabeth retorts, “I am no longer surprised at your knowing only six accomplished women [Mr. Darcy’s claim]. I rather wonder now at your knowing any.”

So to be accomplished, I must:

Know about:

Music
Singing
Drawing
Dancing
The modern language (so probably French and Italian as well as English)


Also have a:

Certain something about my air and manner of walking
Certain something about my voice, my address, and my expressions

Honestly, I’m doing better than you’d think! I certainly know a great deal about music and singing, enough that I could perform (which, I believe, is Caroline’s principle meaning).

I don’t speak French or Italian, but I have enough “knowledge of them” through my study of Spanish and Latin to get by.

I can’t draw, but I imagine with practice I could do something to catch up …

And who knows about my airs and my voice and all. I try.

That said, these are, intentionally, all very vain, shallow accomplishments* – or at least the way they are used is doubtless very vain and shallow.

*don’t get riled up, musicians and artists and so on, before you read the next sentence!

So what then? What makes someone accomplished?

Actual Accomplished Women

according to Jane Austen

My first thought when my brain started wandering down this rabbit trail was, “Did Mr. Darcy think Elizabeth was accomplished? Was he trying to smoothly compliment her?”

I don’t think so. In fact, though I think Mr. Darcy was #majorcrushing on Elizabeth at this time, I find it more likely that he was stating his reasons for not being with her out loud.

“Keep it together, man. She’s not even accomplished. You should marry someone like Caroline – *involuntary shudder* – and make your dead parents proud.”

#MrDarcyisBatman #SpreadtheWord

Actually, I need to take some time to further explore this Darcy/Batman theory, but I’m not talking about that here so let’s move along.

ANYWAYS, as I was saying, at this point, we know that Darcy is still fighting himself because he states later that “he can fight it no longer” and so on.

“I don’t understand,” indeed, Lizzy. I must agree! This is the type of thing that must be puzzled out after the fact.

This whole scene is a marvel – in the book, but especially in the movie! – and it proves conclusively that Darcy does NOT think of Lizzy as all he wanted in a woman.

Neither does Lady Catherine de Bourgh, of course.

But Darcy proposes to Elizabeth AND THEN (and this is so important) ADJUSTS HIS VIEW OF HER AGAIN POST-FIRST-PROPOSAL BASED ON WHAT SHE SAYS ABOUT HIM AND HOW SHE TURNS HIM DOWN (note: this both makes him think about her words about his actions – see his letter and subsequent actions – AND makes him thoroughly realize she is NOTHING like her mother/sisters).

this is the face of a man who is questioning his very existence

So Darcy didn’t believe she was an accomplished woman when he made those little snarky comments. He didn’t believe she was an accomplished when he proposed (well, probably that she was #superhawt and #supercute and #supersmaht and #kindadecentatplayingthepianoiguess, but I don’t believe that accomplished really played into the decision at all).

However, at the first proposal, his grasp on what is important to him in a wife – e.g. accomplishments, e.g. Caroline Bingley *insert another involuntary shudder* – have slipped. Are disappearing. He thinks that he’s simply given up his standards.

Nope. Darcy isn’t giving up his standards. They are shifting. By the end of the book/movie, he does not like Elizabeth “against his better judgment” – he loves her because he knows she is the right woman to marry.

This scene, to me, says that he’s now seeing the real her … and really liking what he’s seeing. But whoops, she doesn’t even want to go walking with him! (From his POV, for obvious reason!) Still, I can see that adjustment in his thinking between the rain proposal >> the letter >> this scene.

Now, I don’t know about you, but when I think about classic Regency women, I think of Elizabeth Bennet. I think of her as being a woman who is what one should (minus the lessons learned!) have been in her era.

can we get a whut whut for this woman being 10000x more classy, spunky, amusing/amused, and beautiful than any other Elizabeth in the history of the earth?

An Eight-Book Review? (Eight is My Favorite Number!)

In this review, I’ll be featuring eight books I recently read for review* – and, of course, reviewing them! These reviews will also be posted on Amazon, Goodreads, and, if possible, NetGalley.

These reviews are gonna be in a bit of a different style than my previous one, just talking about what I thought about the book and maybe adding a joke or two (e.g. I’m not purposefully being super serious anymore) as well as allowing myself Freedom to Rant if Feelings Were Strong.

*Note: I do not accept review requests at this time. Sorry!

Holding the Fort by Regina Jennings

OKAY WHY DID I WAIT SO LONG TO READ THIS BOOK IT IS PURE GENIUS AND I ADORE IT WITH EVERY FIBER OF MY BEING.

Okay. Let’s be serious now. Good? Good.

I actually grabbed book 2 of this series on NetGalley a while back because the premise intrigued me so much. Turns out, it was so good I had to buy myself a paperback copy of book 1.

However, like all books I buy, it got dusty on my shelf and suffered months – even years, though I honestly have no clue how long it really was – of neglect before I picked it up.

And I’m glad I did! It was such a sweet story.

I loved the main character, and I felt like she had such a unique arc for a character in this genre. I also adored the comedic moments combined with the themes and … basically, it worked really well.

Also, kudos for a pretty well-done teenage character. You don’t see those two often, and it was great!

Overall, this was just a well done, light-hearted read. I give it 5/5 stars.

Check it out on Goodreads
A Pursuit of Home by Kristi Ann Hunter

Okay … *sigh* I’ll admit it. I held off reading this book for FOREVER because I don’t like mysteries (outside of television and movies, in which case I CANNOT GET ENOUGH SIGN ME UP FOR A MARATHON), and I didn’t think I’d like Jess that much (she just rubs me wrong), and I was being #stubborn.

But dude. We all make mistakes. Stop holding that against me! I HAVE CORRECTED THE ERROR OF MY WAYS! #forgivenesstime

In all seriousness, I did wait waaaaaay too long to read this book – and even after I started it, I delayed continuing to the point of “hooked.”

Okay, now granted, it was my least favorite of the series, and it did take me forever to read it (though only a few days once I read past the first chapter), but I did really enjoy it. The mystery part was interesting, and I liked Derek. I still don’t really care for Jess – like, she’s funny, but I never rooted for her or really got emotionally involved in her story, so that was just … eh.

I also still don’t see why someone as cool and smart and sweet as Derek has to end up with Jess, but eh. I guess it … works … ish? I just never really bought their relationship even though LITERALLY EVERYONE was telling me I should.

I also loved seeing Ryland and Miranda, though THEY SHOULD HAVE MORE KIDS WHAT THE HECK!?

Every couple Hunter has ever written may be in love, but there’s nothing passionate about their relationships, no matter what they try to tell you (or even write out heh), BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT PRODUCING BABIES AT THE RATE THEY SHOULD. *tsks*

The only reason I read serieses is because then you get to see children from other couples. (I mean, not the only reason, but … that’s a big reason.)

I also wasn’t a huggggeeee fan of the ending, but that’s just me.

Overall, I give it 4/5 stars.

Check it out on Goodreads
Whose Waves These Are by Amanda Dykes

I wanted to like this book. I really did. But … I got so bored in the modern parts. I honestly remember nothing about them, and I skim-read to the end.

I didn’t like it much at first, and the writing style was too melodic for me. I also felt that the POV wasn’t well-managed, and I’m not a fan of present tense. I feel like only The Hunger Games really did it well.

Plus, present tense in the “flashback” scenes was just … frustrating. Like, y’all, the past is in the past, right? *my brain does not equate*

I was just … disinterested. In the modern setting. In the “quaint” little town. In the characters’ emotional arcs. In anything that wasn’t related to the historical story arc.

I found that I couldn’t care less about Annie. She had the typical boring Hallmark story – she just didn’t interest me.

I didn’t like Jeremiah much at first, but I did once I got to know him, after which I found him somewhat sweet – but not enough that I was particularly interested in his story beyond the moment of, “Aw, that’s too bad.” Still, he had a sweet moment or two.

The story that started in the 1940s onward was fascinating and emotional and … awesome. I loved the characters. Robert, Eva, and Liesl were my favorites! Especially Eva. Eva is the literal bomb.

However, that wasn’t enough for me to give this book a high rating, so I settled on 3/5 stars.

Check it out on Goodreads
The Heart of a King by Jill Eileen Smith

This book was all right but nothing special, and I found a couple sections pretty boring.

It was also very frustrating because … well, Solomon was sort of a wasted opportunity. He had wisdom, yeah, but he didn’t apply it properly. Wisdom without complete surrender to God is useless.

I also feel that there were times when the author took liberties that just seemed like a bit too much of a stretch. I know we don’t know a lot about the Queen of Sheba but, to me, the author’s telling of the story seemed … unrealistic.

And also, what the heck? Is she gonna tell? Her subjects? When she gets? Home??? “Whoops”???

There wasn’t anything necessarily wrong with this book, but it simply didn’t hold my interest. 2/5 stars.

Check it out on Goodreads
What Momma Left Behind by Cindy K. Sproles

Ugh, this book. I grabbed it on a whim, and honesty, it is so frustrating.

Just … the writing. And the storyline went on and on and felt so pointless. And the characters weren’t even that likable. I also found myself not liking the children! The cardinal sin for any author – I do so love children, and if they don’t write them well, I’m instantly done.

But the writing. The writing was the main thing that killed me inside. Some people might find it charming or unique. It made me cringe with every word.

And when you’re cringing with every word, it’s difficult to get invested in the story. So maybe I would’ve been more objective in that case.

I know what the author was trying to do. She was trying to be … whimsical? To get the reader inside the head of the main character?

But y’all. I write accents. I write them all. the. time. And I always try to focus in on the character’s voice, to the point where I have always told my students, “You don’t need to have a strong author voice if you have a strong character voice. Character first, you second.”

And this is just … too extreme for me? Too silly for me? And honestly, maybe even a bit too degrading for me.

It made the main character sound stupid, and I can’t stand that. Not the way she talked, no. I expected that to be accurate to the setting. The way she thought – e.g. the actual writing style.

If you wrote the point of view of a black character that way, you would be in so much trouble. I don’t see it as being any different with a white character from the Appalachians.

Especially a poor white character who, of course, was not given the benefit of an education and other things that are so commonplace to America these days. Just because she talks a bit different doesn’t mean she’s stupid!

Anyways. That’s my mini rant of the day. Because honestly, I’m not a “grammar Nazi,” but I can’t take constant misspellings, weird phrasing, etc., in the name of uniqueness. It just frustrates me and makes me dislike a poor main character who may or may not deserve my dislike.

But if that’s your thing, well, this is the book for you!

1/5 stars because I honestly could find nothing to like about it, but that’s just me.

Check it out on Goodreads
At Love’s Command by Karen Witemeyer

Don’t let the cheesy title fool you – this is a really good book! Also, why is book 2 not out yet? *quiet weeping* I may die.

So a bunch of random likes in no particular order:

Matthew, Mark, Luke, and Jonah. Oh. My. Gosh. What an awesome team! And they’re so great together. I remember them all distinctly even though it’s been a while since I read the book – they really stuck with me! (I CAN’T WAIT FOR THEIR STORIES!)

Also, Josephine is now officially the Only Type Of Offended Feminist I will accept. Patent pending. That is a trope in historical romance that I HATE HATE HATE, but the author took that hated trope and made it work so. dang. well.

Like, Josephine is STRONG but she also has relatable flaws and weaknesses but she also IS WILLING TO STAND UP FOR HER STRENGTHS (e.g. she’s like, “dudes, I am a doctor whether you like it or not, so I’m GOING to be HELPING this PERSON”) – but she also admits she needs help and is respectful to people REGARDLESS OF THEIR FEELINGS ABOUT HER.

She’s just so great. If every woman was like her, we’d have been voting … whenever this novel was set. *checks book*  We’d have been voting in 1893. So there.

She just has sooo much gumption, but it’s not Scarlett-O’Hara-in-your-face-I-do-what-I-want gumption. It’s good gumption. It’s actual strength – not just “I’m a feminist – watch me fly” (followed by a jump into the swoony hero’s arms) gumption.

Matthew also contributed to this by being legitimately respectful and strong in his own right. He was surprised at first – who wouldn’t be? – and protective – who wouldn’t be? – but he was never overbearing or cruel. And, again, I really respected Josephine’s acceptance of his protection. (I am so dang sick of heroines who are like, “I DON’T NEED HELP!” and then immediately get kidnapped. It did not play out like that.)

Anyways. I’m a fan. Karen Witemeyer, you may add me to the list of “people who are a bit tooo obsessed with my books” because I loved this story! (Thankfully, I am too lazy to stalk you online and bug you about finishing the rest of the series – which I’m sure you shall do anyways – but … I FEEL LIKE DOING IT!)

5/5 stars – and much excitement for book 2!!!

Check it out on Goodreads
Finding Lady Enderly by Joanna Davidson Politano

Yet another book I wanted to like so much! In fact, I put off reading it because I wanted to like it so much.

It sounded like it was right up my alley … sort of a Rebecca vibe. But I knew it wouldn’t be. It’s Christian fiction. Christian fiction doesn’t do Rebecca vibes.

So yes. I was disappointed. It did not go how I wanted. And so, I shall pout and be a baby and make a big stink.

But I’d like to note that it’s not the author’s fault. She’s writing Christian fiction, not mid-century women’s fiction that doesn’t need a conclusive end. It’s not her fault that she fell in love with a story that works much better if you’re an atheist. (I’m not, but … gah, I wish everyone could just be mean to everyone. It’d be so much more intriguing.)

Let’s attack the dislikes that I can say, honestly, are fair. (The rest of them are not fair because I wanted this book to be something the genre would not be. Which is dark and brooding and Gothic.)

I found Raina’s constant waffling annoying. It was obvious from almost the first chapter what she was going to decide. Also, she kept all the wrong secrets and shared all the wrong ones, and it was just … stop, Raina. You clearly haven’t watched enough Hitchcock to know how to do this correctly. (Which makes sense since movies weren’t a thing back then, but shhh.)

I also just didn’t care about her character arc … I mean, the answer was obvious. Or what the author wanted the answer to be was obvious! It was just the painful wait until Raina caught up to reality.

Sully annoyed me on every possible level. He was condescending. He was “holier-than-thou” about everything. He was offended about things he had absolutely no right to be offended about. In fact – I would call him a chauvinist, and I never, ever use that term because I find it rather silly. But he was, as far as the term can be applied to a man in his era.

And don’t say he’s redeemed because he quoted Jane Austen once! He is not. I do not forgive him.

Here’s the thing: SULLY IS NOT MR. KNIGHTLEY! He is not older than her. He is not wiser than her. He is not BETTER than her in ANY WAY. He is not even a relative to has some rights to boss her around. He. has. no. claim. to. Raina. except. what. she. gives. him. Yet he treats her like his bratty little sister!

I know everyone is swooning over their cute system of communication and how sweet it is that they both like books … but a book lover does not make a good person. It does not. In fact, I have known a number of book lovers who are very BAD people. And Sully is one of them.

I feel like Sully was just book lover wish fulfillment combined with convenient “shoulder angel” therapy for Raina, and I couldn’t take it. I just couldn’t.

Sully functions as Raina’s conscience. And though I am not opposed to couples who are reliant on each other (that is after all what marriage is) or couples who influence each other positively (<I am very opposed to couples where one of them is the moral guider of the other. This doesn’t work, and it will lead to a bitter, empty relationship in the long run.

Okay, now that I’ve gotten my fair negatives out of the way … let’s talk about the unfair ones.

I didn’t like the plot. It wasn’t what it should have been. And the rest of this review will be semi-spoilers, but since none of this actually happened, it’s also not spoilers. But read at your own risk.

I wanted Raina to win. I wanted everyone to be convinced she was Lady Enderly. I sure as heck didn’t want her to get in trouble for it!

I wanted the lord guy to realize that she was actually really awesome. I wanted them to fall in love and get married. I wanted Sully to be executed and Raina to realize he was just a friend, grieve a little, and move onto her new life as a titled woman with a huge estate that actually belonged to her.

I sure as anything didn’t want some random cousin to get any money whatsoever. And though I wanted the other villain to get in trouble, I wanted it to be like, “And then he died in a random carriage accident” or, better yet, “And then Raina stabbed him in the gut with a letter opener.”

Basically, all the things Christian fiction will not do. All the things that are too much of a risk. All the things that are iffy or just plain immoral. I wanted them to WIN. I wanted them to GET AWAY WITH IT. I wanted it to ACTUALLY HAPPEN.

And the whole time, I knew it wouldn’t happen. I knew she’d end up with Discount Mr. Knightley. I knew she’d leave for some life of “fulfilling poverty.” I knew it wouldn’t be cool.

It wasn’t. So, my personal taste was disgusted. Reality said, “This was a good book; I can see why people like it.” But my mind doesn’t live in reality. My mind dwells in possibility – and my possibility sensors were going nuts.

Aside from that, I think it was a good book. But it’s hard to tell because I’m stubborn and annoyed, and those two things tend to lead to some very grouchy feelings.

So, upon examination, I give it 1/5 as a personal rating and 3/5 as a realistic rating, leading to an overall rating of 2/5. I’m sorry, Mrs. Politano and the many fans of this book. I tried. I could not like it.

Check it out on Goodreads
Love Riot by Sara Barratt

This book wasn’t specifically geared toward me, I feel, because I’m not your typical “grew up in the church” Christian.

I mean, my parents tried, but the options are narrow here, I never had much interest, and honestly, for years, I didn’t even want to be associated with Christians because … many reasons. Reasons discussed in this book, in fact!

I was glad to read it, though, because I’m glad someone else sees the issues in the church! And the fact that it’s someone who actually enjoys church (I never have) is also intriguing to me.

Because I still feel that the modern church (which, despite the frail efforts of a few actual Christians, is nothing but a building these days inhabited by thousands of random people and a scattering of real members of the Church) has little to offer me, if anything, and specifically the churches in our area have nothing to offer me, I didn’t glean all that much from this book. However, I think it’s a book a lot of Christian teens should read!

I would like to see teens rise up. We are a selfish generation, an iGeneration, and there is a great need for revival, for a lack of self, for actual understanding and intelligence … and if that revival comes from anywhere, it must be from Christ.

So yes, I think this is a book most Christian teens should read! I’m glad I read it because it gives me a little hope – and seeing others read it gives me a little hope, too!

4/5 stars

Check it out on Goodreads

TTFN!

~Kell~

P.S.

What’s a book you’ve recently read and enjoyed? And what’s a book that disappointed you?

It’s Almost October! (e.g. time to talk about summer and September)

So since it’s now the 26th, meaning it’s four short days away from October, we should absolutely do a recap of the summer AND of the beginning of September (+ some goals for the next month or so).

That makes perfect sense, right? Okay, good. Glad we’re on the same page.

I’m going to do my best to recap the summer AND September, but I’ll probably miss a thing or two.

Are You Ready for a 5-Year Blogiversary? (Giveaway, Facebook Party, & More!)

Even if you’re not ready, well, you don’t have a choice in the matter because, like it or not, five years ago I founded my blog, then (and for many years) called Reveries.

Now it’s called:

Which is very pretty, too. At least, in my opinion.

Anywho, to celebrate, I decided I MUST DO SOMETHING BIG, and after some consideration and a lot of worrying over whether or not I’d have the energy to throw something together …

I decided to have a Facebook event party, a 22-book giveaway featuring a dozen or so authors, an Instagram challenge, and, in general, drive myself absolutely mad because I have (literally) five other things going on right now that are big and time-consuming.

Sanity is overrated.

Because of this sanity, I’m going to move on to the business stuff before rambling about HOW EXCITING IT IS THAT I HAVE BEEN BLOGGING FOR FIVE YEARS!!! Like … how!? How evennnnn???

But first, the Official Stuff Like Giveaways and Facebook Events.

The 22-Book Giveaway

First, the grand giveaway … which features 22 ebooks from various clean realistic fiction authors:

Click here to enter!

And, in case you’re interested, here’s a complete list of the books you stand to win:

The Dressmaker’s Secret by Kellyn Roth
Ivy Introspective by Kellyn Roth
Faith Alone by Ruth E. Meyer
Hold Me Close by Marguerite Martin Gray
A Strand of Hope by Amanda Tero
Jim Wood by Rebekah Morris
Freedom by Faith Potts
Live Without You by Sarah Grace Grzy
Once in a While by Linda Ellen
A Pirate at Pembroke by Danielle Thorne
RES-Q Tyler Stop by June McCrary Jacobs
Out of Time by Loretta Livingstone
The Old World by Roy M. Griffis
The Cake List by Dianne J. Wilson
Trusting His Heart by Jen Peters
Sweethearts Old by Rachel A. Anderson
Sunlight and Shadows by Jessica Marie Holt
Moonlight, Murder, & Small Town Secrets by KC Hart
The Move by Lori Wolf-Heffner
Love’s Broken Road by Julie Coulter Bellon
The Seven Days of Christmas by Sarah D. Tweet
Blue Bells of Scotland by Laura Vosika

The Facebook Event of the Century

Today, I’m hosting a Facebook party, complete with giveaways and games and a live Q&A, to celebrate my blogiversary!

The Schedule

11:00 AM PST — Kellyn Roth

11:30 — Dianne J. Wilson

12:00 — Marguerite Martin Gray

12:30 — Kellyn Roth

1:00 — Ruth E. Meyer

1:30 — Kellyn Roth (live Q&A)

2:30 — Michaela Bush

3:00 — Julie Coulter Bellon

3:30 — Abigail Harris

4:00 — Kellyn Roth

Click to Join Us Starting at 11 AM PST TODAY (9/12)!

It’s going to be a lot of fun, and I’d love to see you there!

And … an Instagram challenge!

Starting today, I’m hosting an awesome Instagram challenge for entrepreneurs!

I have post up on my account explaining more, but basically, it’s a way to talk about our businesses and … various things. The post explains it better.

Introducing Growing Writers

Hello folks!

Long time no see! I’ve been working on a lot of different things, but primarily my schedule, prepping for the new school year, and of course … Growing Writers.

But what’s “Growing Writers”? you asked. Sounds a bit weird. I mean, you’re not planning on giving birth to a lot of writers, are you?

Well, I don’t know, maybe someday. *scratches chin* I sort of want one or two of my future children to like writing—or at least reading. However, given the fact that I’m not likely to have kids any time soon, I won’t plan on that.

Maybe Faith’s little David will be an author. I don’t know.

BUT ANYWAY, no. That’s not the type of growing I mean. Or rather we mean.

I feel like this has gotten weird in a hurry so I’m just going to get right into the business side of things, folks.

Introducing … 

Growing Writers

A LIVE 12-week course that teaches the basic principles of writing craft AND helps you write a short story from scratch!

These weekly videocall lessons cover topics such as plot, character, theme, dialogue, description, editing, and more.

They’re geared to help you learn all the vital writing craft skills you need to become an excellent writer … and that’s not all!

At the end of the program you’ll not only have a polished short story, but also the skills needed to continue to create stories and further your writing career.

Our program is geared for students ages 10-25 who need that extra push of encouragement and structure to equip them with the writing skills they need to write well—and to keep on writing!

Does this sound like something you’d be interested in? Well, you’re in luck! Registration is open now!

If you’d like to find out more, please check out our super special, super awesome long description (which I poured tons of work into … okay, and so did Zach and Faith, but I’m patting myself on the back because why not? My blog, my posts, my bragging!).

The Super Special, Super Awesome Long Description

How’s that?

I’m really excited about it, personally. I haven’t been teaching an official writing class since mid-June, and I haven’t had a full roster since … February?

It’s been a while.

So hopefully Zach, Faith, and I will be able to make a success of this program! We all love teaching and have a passion for encouraging growth and learning in a safe environment for young writers.

Well, that’s my spiel. Hope it wasn’t too boring.

June & July 2020 Wrapup + Planning for the School Year

Before we starting on ANYTHING ELSE … I DECIDED TO RENAME THIS BLOG! I mean, really, I just decided to use an old name combined with a bit of a new one that describes what I kinda feel is my … aesthetic. Per se. *shrugs*

SOOOOOOO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I’D LIKE TO INTRODUCE:

Lilacs & Reveries. That’s right. My favorite flower, which also has become kinda a symbol of my childhood and who I am to me, combined with Reveries. Which is my writing roots. Which just represents … all the reasons I write. And more. It’s just perfection.

Take a quick tour around this one page which I redesigned slightly! (So far just the sidebar, really, and I made some tweaks to the homepage of the blog itself.) We’re getting there!

And hopefully the content on this blog is going to be a lot more fun from now one. (My sidebar sorta explains what I’m going for. Which is basically … whatever I want!)

Eventually I’m also going to get some pro graphics designed and so on, but I still want a sorta … thrown together on Paint vibe. Because … reasons.